OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

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Towns most like Bandon, OR 97411

Bandon: median income $50,993, home value $455,800, $358/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Clarkdale, AZ 86324 87%876$46,813$374,400$280 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Cape Charles, VA 23310 84%2,552$62,500$377,300$318 cheaper homes ($79K less) · smaller
Mount Shasta, CA 96067 83%163$65,000$415,400$247 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 82%2,564$63,464$346,700$288 cheaper homes ($109K less) · smaller
Hamilton, MT 59840 81%547$61,752$428,100$343 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · younger residents
Lakeside, AZ 85929 81%991$62,752$306,900$290 cheaper homes ($149K less) · 5 min longer commute
Beaufort, NC 28516 79%2,596$66,057$315,400$270 cheaper homes ($140K less) · 5 min longer commute
Port Saint Joe, FL 32456 79%2,333$64,681$378,500$285 cheaper homes ($77K less) · newer homes
Plains, MT 59859 79%552$64,846$429,200$278 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · less walkable
Salmon, ID 83467 79%541$53,917$316,700$265 cheaper homes ($139K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Jefferson, NC 28640 78%2,303$53,155$282,900$264 cheaper homes ($173K less) · smaller · younger residents
Minocqua, WI 54548 78%1,705$69,569$336,400$288 cheaper homes ($119K less) · 5 min longer commute
Polson, MT 59860 78%590$62,047$441,500$309 larger · younger residents
Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403 78%804$58,967$363,000$287 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger · younger residents
Taos, NM 87571 78%1,099$57,575$458,900$359 7 min longer commute
Long Beach, WA 98631 78%227$71,705$409,400$335 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · more walkable
Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064 77%2,666$59,887$361,700$370 cheaper homes ($94K less) · 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Brevard, NC 28712 77%2,273$63,045$414,300$299 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Apalachicola, FL 32320 76%2,351$46,713$241,500$279 cheaper homes ($214K less) · smaller · younger residents
Payson, AZ 85541 76%934$66,383$361,200$298 cheaper homes ($95K less) · larger
Prescott, AZ 86301 76%871$72,652$515,400$313 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger
El Prado, NM 87529 76%1,098$61,618$487,300$336 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Fort Bragg, CA 95437 76%255$57,759$554,200$396 pricier homes ($98K more) · larger · younger residents
Diamond Springs, CA 95619 76%358$66,429$373,900$321 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller · younger residents
Osage Beach, MO 65065 75%1,689$60,785$371,600$263 cheaper homes ($84K less) · more apartments and townhomes

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.